title: Progestin regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor in human breast cancer cells.
abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor associated with the degree of vascularity, progression, and metastasis of breast cancer, and cases of this disease with increased vascular density have a poor prognosis. We show that in T47-D human breast cancer cells, progesterone induces a dose-dependent increase of 3-4-fold in media VEGF levels, with a maximum response occurring at a concentration of 10 nM. This effect is blocked by the antiprogestin RU 486. In addition to progesterone, a number of synthetic progestins used in oral contraceptives (e.g., norethindrone, norgestrel, and norethynodrel), hormone replacement therapy (medroxyprogesterone acetate), and high-dose progestin treatment of breast cancer (megestrol acetate) also increase VEGF in the media of cultured T47-D cells. This effect is hormone specific and is not produced by estrogens, androgens, or glucocorticoids. Collectively, these observations suggest that the increase in VEGF caused by progestins is mediated by progesterone receptors present in T47-D cells. The induction of VEGF by progestins is also cell type specific and does not occur in human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, ZR-75, or MDA-MB-231, nor in Ishikawa cells derived from a human endometrial carcinoma. This is the first report that progestins regulate VEGF expression in human breast cancer cells and raises the possibility that increased angiogenesis in response to endogenous progesterone or its therapeutically used analogues may play a role in cell growth or metastasis in a subset of human breast tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology, Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Texas Health Sciences Center-Houston, 77225, USA. shyder@farmr1.med.uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hyder
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Stancel
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D019290:Megestrol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000139:chemically induced*; D009640:Norethindrone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009641:Norethynodrel / Q000494:pharmacology; D009644:Norgestrel / Q000494:pharmacology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D011372:Progestins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011372:Progestins; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; C110406:caproxyprogesterone; D015735:Mifepristone; D009644:Norgestrel; D011374:Progesterone; D009641:Norethynodrel; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate; D009640:Norethindrone; D019290:Megestrol Acetate